ClickFunnels vs ConvertKit — A Side-by-Side Comparison for Savvy Entrepreneurs
Choosing between ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit can feel tricky, especially when you want to grow your online business. Each one has its own benefits, but it all comes down to what you need for email marketing, sales funnels, and automations.
ClickFunnels is great for building sales funnels. It makes it easy to guide potential customers from awareness to purchase, which is why it’s a go-to tool for many conversion-focused entrepreneurs.
ConvertKit, on the other hand, is mostly about email marketing. It targets creators and small businesses looking to build and engage their email lists with personalized content and automation. And it lets you build sales funnels to sell digital products and memberships.
Our goal is to help you compare these platforms and decide between ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit.
Don’t forget to check out our guides on ConvertKit alternatives and ClickFunnels alternatives.
ClickFunnels vs. ConvertKit — Which Option is Better?
ClickFunnels lets entrepreneurs build funnels to generate more sales, while ConvertKit is mainly an email marketing service.
They have overlapping features that let you achieve similar goals. So, let’s break it down and see which tool comes out on top.
Here’s the gist of it:
- ConvertKit has more robust features for email marketing automation.
- Your emails are less likely to land in the spam folder with ConvertKit.
- With ClickFunnels, creating complex sales funnels is a breeze.
- ClickFunnels offers more ways to tailor your landing pages and forms.
- ClickFunnels connects with more tools.
- You get deeper insights and more robust A/B testing with ClickFunnels.
- ClickFunnels is more expensive but lets you do more.
Let’s get into more detail.
Sending Marketing Emails and Automated Messages
Winner: ConvertKit
ConvertKit and ClickFunnels are both powerful platforms for email marketing, each with its own set of perks.
ClickFunnels gives you more customization options and pre-designed templates, while ConvertKit is a decent choice for creating automated email sequences.
Here’s how they stack up against each other:
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Emails | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| List Segmentation | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Email Scheduler | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Email Editor | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Email Templates | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Broadcasts | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Automated emails: ClickFunnels ties its automation to the sales funnel, meaning you can set up emails triggered by customer actions anywhere in your funnel, including webinars, landing pages, and forms. ConvertKit’s automation is more about the subscriber’s journey, allowing you to create personalized email sequences based on how they interact with your email content.
List segmentation: Both platforms offer solid options for segmenting your list, but they approach it differently. ClickFunnels segments based on actions within funnels, like purchases or webinar attendance. ConvertKit, though, focuses on subscriber behavior and interests using tags.
Email scheduler: Planning emails ahead of time is easy with both ClickFunnels and ConvertKit.
Email editor: ClickFunnels’ email editor is built for simplicity and effectiveness. It lets you quickly put together beautiful emails that get your message across. The same is true for ConvetKit’s editor, but it has a more minimal interface and fewer customizations. It’s focused on creating plain text emails that feel personal and engaging.
Email templates: If you’re looking for templates for conversion, ClickFunnels is a better choice. ConvertKit offers templates too, but they’re more minimalist and focus on your content rather than heavy design elements.
Broadcasts: Sending one-off emails or email announcements is straightforward with both platforms. ClickFunnels lets you target your funnel contacts, while ConvertKit makes broadcasting to your whole list easy.
At Campaign Refinery, we’ve developed a robust approach to email marketing automation. Our uses advanced segmentation and precise behavioral triggers to optimize engagement and conversions.
Getting Your Emails in the Inbox — Deliverability
Winner: ConvertKit
ConvertKit offers more specialized tools for list cleaning and encourages best practices like double opt-in. So, you can expect more of your emails to land in the primary inbox.
Check out the table below to see how the two platforms compare in terms of deliverability.
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic list cleaning | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| IP reputation management | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Monitoring sender behavior | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Domain authentication | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Double opt-in | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Automatic list cleaning: ClickFunnels has limited list cleaning features, only helping you weed out inactive subscribers. ConvertKit goes a step further. You can tag inactive subscribers, run automated re-engagement campaigns, and remove non-responsive recipients. Still, ConvertKit’s tools aren’t as advanced as they could be.
IP reputation: Both platforms manage their IP email addresses carefully. ClickFunnels uses shared IPs for most users but monitors them closely to keep deliverability high. ConvertKit also uses a combination of shared and dedicated IPs, depending on your plan.
Monitoring sender behavior: ConvertKit monitors senders for malicious activities that harm deliverability. They monitor bounce, spam complaints, and unsubscribe rates to prevent senders from abusing the platform. ClickFunnels also keeps an eye on sender behavior, but judging from their terms of service, they seem to be less strict about it.
Domain authentication: Neither company has a policy for adding DNS email authentication records to your domain. However, considering Google and Yahoo’s 2024 email security changes coming in effect, you must set up those records. ConvertKit makes domain authentication straightforward and has guides to help you through the process. ClickFunnels also supports domain authentication, but the documentation and support are more scarce.
Double opt-in: Having subscribers confirm their interest via a double opt-in email form can improve the quality of your list and your emails’ deliverability. ConvertKit advocates for double opt-in and gives you the option to implement it. ClickFunnels offers the option for double opt-in forms, too. However, their emphasis on the best practice isn’t as strong.
At Campaign Refinery, we use state-of-the-art deliverability strategies and meticulous list management practices to make sure our users enjoy industry-high deliverability rates.
Guiding Your Users to Conversion — Sales Funnels
Winner: ClickFunnels
If your goal is to build detailed sales funnels with the flexibility to include sales strategies like upselling or down-selling, ClickFunnels meets your needs.
Here’s an overview:
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Funnel complexity | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Funnel type variety | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Types of products | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Sales strategies | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
Funnel complexity: ClickFunnels lets you create complex funnels with multiple steps, traffic sources, and conversion goals. ConvertKit is more straightforward. It’s decent for simple email marketing funnels, like a single product sale or a lead capture.
Funnel types: ConvertKit focuses on simpler funnel setups geared toward email lead generation and direct sales. Its strength is automating email sequences to nurture leads down a simple funnel.
On the other hand, ClickFunnels offers a wide range of funnel types, including:
- Webinar funnels.
- Tripwire funnels.
- Lead magnet funnels.
- Affiliate funnels.
- Product launch funnels.
Support for different types of products: ClickFunnels is versatile. It supports both digital and physical products. ConvertKit is traditionally a platform for digital products or services, especially for creators looking to sell courses, eBooks, or memberships.
Sales strategies: ClickFunnels makes it easy to add upsells, cross-sells, and down-sells to your sales process. Using these sales strategies, you can increase the average order value and make more money from your email list. ConvertKit doesn’t naturally integrate these strategies into its funnels. You might manage something similar with targeted emails, but it won’t be as seamless.
Landing Pages and Forms
Winner: ClickFunnels
If you’re after a tool that lets you deeply customize your landing pages, ClickFunnels is your go-to option. But if you prefer simplicity, choose ConvertKit.
Let’s get into more detail:
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Design options | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Template variety | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Automation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| GDPR compliance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Design options and customizability: ClickFunnels gives you a lot of freedom to make your landing pages and forms look just how you want — you can mix and match colors, fonts, and elements to create something unique. ConvertKit is simpler, which means less tweaking. Its templates are more appropriate for direct email marketing.
Template variety: ClickFunnels offers a wide variety of templates for landing pages and forms, covering everything from product sales to event registrations. ConvertKit offers a smaller selection of clean and focused templates for creators and small businesses.
Ability to connect to automation: ClickFunnels lets you tie your landing pages directly into your sales funnels, so when someone fills out a form, you can automatically send them through your sales process. ConvertKit’s automation is focused on email sequences. When someone signs up through a form, you can set up a series of emails to engage them.
GDPR Compliance: Both ClickFunnels and ConvertKit offer features like consent checkboxes and make it easy to manage subscriber data responsibly.
Connecting to Other Platforms
Winner: A Tie
Whether you’re planning to stick with the standard integrations or you’re looking to get your hands dirty with some custom coding, both platforms have the options to support your ambitions.
Let’s check out how they match up.
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Extensiveness | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| API | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The extensiveness of integrations: ClickFunnels integrates with a broader range of services including email marketing platforms, to payment processors. It even has an integration for Campaign Refinery. ConvertKit also offers a solid list of integrations, but it’s not as extensive.
API access and documentation: Both platforms offer API access for when you want to add custom functionality. The APIs are modern and easy to implement, but ConvertKit’s documentation and support are more robust.
At Campaign Refinery, we offer over 1000 integrations through Zapier and a meticulously designed API with detailed documentation to support all your custom development projects.
ClickFunnels vs ConvertKit Pricing — Battle of the Budgets
Before you make up your mind, you should carefully consider how each platform’s pricing aligns with your business objectives and budget constraints.
ClickFunnels is on the pricier side, but there’s a reason for it. You get an all-in-one platform with over 30+ tools and hundreds of features. So, you should only consider it if you’re serious about scaling your online business.
There’s no free plan, but you can test the platform for 14 days before committing.
Here’s a quick look at what you can expect to pay:
| ClickFunnels Pricing Tier | Monthly commitment | Annual commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Basic — 1 website, 20 funnels, 10k contacts | $147 | $127 per month |
| Pro — 1 website, 100 funnels, 25k contacts | $197 | $147 per month |
| Funnel hacker — 3 websites, unlimited funnels, 200k contacts | $297 | $208 per month |
ConvertKit is tailored towards creators and small businesses. It offers a freemium model and scales up based on the number of subscribers. The free plan supports up to 1,000 contacts with limited features.
Many users argue that ConvertKit is more expensive than many email marketing platforms, especially as you grow your email list.
Here’s what their pricing looks like for 25k contacts:
| ConvertKit Pricing Tier | Monthly commitment | Annual commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | $199 | $166 per month |
| Creator Pro — adds advanced reporting and subscriber scoring | $279 | $233 per month |
ClickFunnels vs ConvertKit — The Verdict
Our ClickFunnels vs ConvertKit comparison isn’t about declaring a clear winner, but about understanding which platform better suits your needs.
If your goal is to build complex sales funnels with versatile customization, ClickFunnels is the better choice despite its higher price point.
In contrast, ConvertKit is the better choice if your focus is on email marketing with efficient automations, simple landing pages, and straightforward forms.
To give you a clearer picture of how ClickFunnels and ConvertKit stack up, here’s a final table summarizing their key features:
| Feature | ClickFunnels | ConvertKit |
|---|---|---|
| Email marketing | Basic features | Advanced features |
| Deliverability | Adequate | Better |
| Sales funnels | Advanced and complex | Basic |
| Landing pages and forms | Highly Customizable | Simplified |
| Automations | Sales-focused | Content-focused |
| Integrations | Extensive | Essential |
| Pricing | Higher starting price | More affordable but still expensive |
While these tools have their strengths, at Campaign Refinery, we offer something unique. Our platform combines advanced email marketing, superior deliverability rates, and a user-friendly interface.
Plus, we offer full integration with ClickFunnels. So, you can take your email marketing to the next level even if you run a conversion-focused business.
Get the Best Deliverability with Campaign Refinery
ClickFunnels and ConvertKit have their merits, but if you’re looking for a tool that lets you turn your email campaigns into revenue engines, Campaign Refinery is the way to go.
We’ve honed in on making email marketing and deliverability. We make sure your emails land right where you want them — in the primary inbox.
Plus, our platform is packed with features that help you craft personalized emails that people want to read and engage with.
We also understand the value of your marketing tools working in harmony. That’s why we offer robust integrations, including a smooth link with ClickFunnels. This integration lets you leverage Campaign Refinery’s effective email marketing with ClickFunnels’ powerful sales funnel capabilities.
Why Choose Campaign Refinery over ConvertKit
Here’s why we’re better than ConvertKit as an email marketing platform:
- Mandatory domain authentication: As soon as you sign up with us, we’ll help you set up domain authentication protocols to make sure ISPs trust your domain.
- Advanced list maintenance: Our system automatically filters out problematic addresses — invalid addresses, spam traps, and inactive subscribers.
- Exclusive sender community: We carefully check and keep an eye on everyone sending emails through our platform to create a top-notch sending space for all.
- Emails that engage and reward: Transform your emails into an engaging game. Entice your subscribers with rewards like VIP status or exclusive email coupons for interacting with your emails. It’s a novel way to ramp up engagement and loyalty.
- Campaigns ready to launch: We know your time is valuable, so we’ve got a collection of pre-built campaigns ready to go. Just pick one, customize it to your liking, and launch.
- Simplified automation: With our Branch & Rule editor, setting up any kind of email marketing automation is a breeze. Customize your campaigns to perfectly match your audience’s interactions.
- Insider tips and tricks: As a sender, you gain access to our exclusive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and playbooks, giving you a playbook for converting campaigns into major profit generators.
Is Campaign Refinery Affordable?
Instead of charging for your list size, we have a transparent credit-based system that charges you for every email you send or every address you clean from your list.
Sending 50k emails? $99 per month.
Sending 200k emails? $299 per month.
Sending 1M emails? $1000 per month.
Our pricing becomes more economical as you bring on more subscribers and need to send more emails.
Is Moving to Campaign Refinery Complicated?
The process can vary, being straightforward for some and more involved for others, depending on the complexity of your existing email marketing operations.
But rest assured. We provide comprehensive support to assist you throughout the transition. Our team will help you every step of the way to make sure you fit right in with our community of reputable senders.
We’re excited to welcome you. Apply to join us today and let’s make your email marketing rock.
FAQs
Why is creating funnels important for a business?
Creating funnels is key for a business because it guides your customers on a journey from first hearing about you to making a purchase. You can define steps in your funnel to eliminate less interested users and engage the more interested ones in ways that lead to more revenue and more customer loyalty.
Is ClickFunnels worth the money?
The answer depends on your specific needs. If you’re looking to create detailed sales funnels and have everything you need in one place, then yes, ClickFunnels can be a great investment. It saves you time and helps you focus on growing your sales. But it’s not as effective as a specialized tool in any of the areas it supports.
What are the disadvantages of ClickFunnels?
The biggest disadvantage of ClickFunnels is its price, which might be a bit steep for small businesses or solo entrepreneurs just starting out. Also, because it has so many features, it can feel overwhelming to learn everything at first.
Is Convertkit worth it?
If you want to build an engaged email list and need an easy-to-use tool, ConvertKit is a solid choice. But it’s not the most affordable option, given its feature set. There are effective alternatives with better prices, including Campaign Refinery.
Is ConvertKit a funnel builder?
Not in the traditional sense. ConvertKit is an email marketing and automation platform, but it offers landing pages and the ability to create simple funnels through email sequences. If you’re looking for a full-fledged funnel builder, ConvertKit isn’t the right tool.
